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(No Model.) I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. M. GOYLE.

AUTOMATIG RAGE COURSE.

No. 425,370. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. M. OOYLE. AUTOMATIC RACE COURSE.

No. 425,370. Patented Apr. 8. 1890.

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(No Model.) A M GOYLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. AUTOMATIC RACE COURSE.

No. 425,370. PatentedApr. s, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT ANDRE\V M. COYLE, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN C. EDIVARDS, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC RACE-COURSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,370, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed January 13, 1890. Serial No. 336,822. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW M. COYLE, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Race-Courses, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specifica the invention or a greater portion thereof maybe employed with other means for starting the racers in motion.

with reference more particularly to the movements of the racing figures, it is essential, in order to maintain an interest in the toy, that the result of the race should be an uncertainty, and that in all cases each one of the horses (or other figures that may be represented) should have an even chance of being first at the goal. To subserve the same purpose, it is also desirable that the rate of motion of the racers should be somewhat proportional to the miniature track upon which they run, or, in other words, that the time of the race should be something approximate to that usually consumed in an ordinary horserace, and that the several racers should shift positions from time to time as they circle around the track, thus presenting as nearly as possible the actual conditions and incidents of a veritable horse-race. These objects have been kept in view in carrying out the present invention.

The invention includes, further, a selecting mechanism whereby the user of the apparatus for the time being can select one of the racers as the probable winner and indicate his choice. Asimple mechanism for this purpose consists of a series of keys or push-knobs, one for each of the racing figures, the user having the privilege of depressing any one of these keys or knobs at or for a short time after the figures start into motion. Vith the selecting mechanism is combined locking mechanism, whereby after the figures have moved over a certain portion of the course (say half the distance) the keys are locked in position and cannot be disturbed during the remainder of the race.

The invention also includes the combination, with the selecting mechanism, of indieating mechanism, (which may be of various sorts,) which is adapted to respond in the event of the users having selected the winning horse and in no other. This indicating mechanism may be arranged to deliver a prize, to ring a bell, to display a flag, or to perform any one or more of a number of simple mechanical operations which are now common in coin-controlled apparatus of various sorts.

The manner in which the invention is or may be carried out will now be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a top view of a box or case, showing the track and racers in their starting position. Fig. II is a plan view of parts beneath the track.-' Fig. III is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. IV is a diagram illustrating the electric circuits and connections. Figs. V, VI, VII, and VIII are detail views illustrating the carriage and mounting of the horses; and Figs. IX and X are details of the selecting mechanism.

Power is furnished by a clock-work, (shown at A, Fig. III,) which drives the wheel B, which in turn imparts motion to the companion wheel'C through a cord a. The racer-carriage D is attached to this cord by links or wires 1), whereby the racers are carried around the oval track or course E. The wheels B C and other mechanism are concealed by the plate F, which forms the plane of the racecourse. The three miniature horses 1, 2, and 3 project slightly above this plane. A glass plate G covers the whole.

The horses 1 2 3 (and the number may be greater or less than three) are all mounted on the same carriage D, so that they move together. This carriage is composed of a plate e of thin metal bent at a right angle and forming the top and back, a front plate f, and horizontal side and intermediate strips g. (See Figs. V to VIII.) To these strips g are journaled a series of wheels i, 5, 6, 7, and I00 8, capable of independent rotation. The number of these wheels is immaterial, but there must be at least one for each racer. As sh own, there are two extrawheels.

Each horse or racing figure is mounted on a rod 9, 10, or ll, which rods pass up through slots inplate 6, so that the horses can move back or forward with respect to their carrlage In addition to their common motion with said carriage. The rod 9, Figs. V and VII,

, passing down, is bent to form a rectangular --tramealongside of its wheel 5, and an eccentric-pin 13 on this wheel works within the frame, and as said-wheel rotates strikes now at the forward side of the rectangle-and now at its rear side. From the rectangular part ofrod 9 a rod 15 projects forward through a guide-opening in plate f, and a rod 16 projects backward through a similar guide-hole By these arrangements the horse tions, as in an ordinary race, and making it a matter of uncertainty which horse will be in advance when the goal is reached.

The starting and stopping of the figures is effected by v the coin-operated lever I, Figs. III and IV, which is pivoted at h, and is provided with the usual coin receptacle or basket '11 and with a counter-weightk. Alongside of the coin-lever I in a slot of board II is provided the latch K, its end lying-flat against board H, being held in this position by the pin Z on coin-leverl. The said lever I also carries an upright stop L, which arrests and holds the carriage, as shown in Fig. II. \Vhen a coin by its weight depresses the coin-lever I, this stop L is withdrawn from the path of the carriage, which at once begins to move around the track. The pin Z also moves away from latch K, which thereupon tilts bygravity, its small end flying up, as shown in Fig. IV. WVhen the coin falls out of the coinbasket i into the receptacle or drawer M, the counter-weight 7c raises the lever I; but the latter cannot return to its normal position, because, as shown in Fig. IV, pin Z strikes against the underside of latch K. WVhen the carriage and racing figures complete the circuit, a brush m, Fig. VIII, passes over latch K and depresses it, allowing lever I to swing back to its normal position; but the carriage has before this passed the stop L, so that the figures make two turns before they are arrested by the stop. In other words the race,

started by the payment of a coin, consists of two laps, which is considered a desirable feature of the operation of the device.

In the fictitious as in the real horse-race the interest lies not entirely in seeing the figures move, but in the result, as the spectators will inevitably express a preference for one or the other of the racers. The resultwith small figures, such as used in toy racecourses, is frequently very close, so that the eye cannot always infallibly declare the winner. In order to announce the result with certainty, selecting and indicating mechanism have been provided and constitute special features of the invention.

.The selecting mechanism comprises keys or push-knobs, which are designated 1 2? 3, to. correspond with the racers 1 2 3, respectively. These keys constitute electric circuit changers or controllers, as presently described. The shanks of the several keys have near their inner ends notches n for engagement of the locking-bar N. WVhen this bar is down,as shown in Fig. X, the keys are all looked in position, the bar being either at the end 'of the shank or in the notch n. The keys are locked and released by the action of the locking-magnet O. The locking-bar N is attached to the armature o of the magnet through a lever I pivoted at 12. Then the circuit of magnet O is broken, bar N settles down by its own weight, locking the keys. hen the circuit is closed the magnet attracts armature 0, lifts the locking-bar N, and leaves the keys. free to be moved in or out from the outside of the case.

The circuit of magnet O is shown in Fig. IV. It runs from the battery X by wire 18 to magnet O, thence by wire 19 to latch K. Wire 20 runs from the other pole of battery X to coin-lever I. WVhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. III, the-pin Z'rests against strip q of insulating material on the edge of latch K. Consequently the circuit is normally open at this point, and the keys are consequently locked. During the time, however, that the parts occupy the position shown in Fig. IV pin Z is in contact with the metal part of latch K, the circuit is closed, and the keys are free. This condition prevails, as

already stated, while the figures are making .out the other two, so that only one key at a time can be pushed in; The construction is illustrated in Fig. IX. The shanks of the keys are guided in sleeves r of the key-board B. On the under side of this board are piv-' oted three levers 20 2122. The ends of these levers are in the path of pins 23 on theseveral key-shanks. It is evident from inspection of the figure that by this cross-connection of the keys only one at a time can be pushed in. If key 2 be pushed in, its pins 23, acting on levers 21 and 22, would throw out l or 3 if either of these were in, and so of both the others.

\Vhen the user has made a right selection, the fact is automatically announced or indicatedthat is to say, if the racing figure corresponding to the key that has been pushed in crosses the finishing-line in advance of the others, no matter how slight the distance, the indicating mechanism, which will now be described, gives notice of the fact.

S is the indicating-magnet, and when its circuit is closed its armature 5, through a wire or cord 35, retracts the bell-hammer 86 and rings a bell 37. The circuit of this magnet will be closed, as will now be shown, only when the racing figure corresponding to the key that has been depressed is in the lead in passing the finishing-line on the second or last lap.

The circuit of magnet S and its branch circuits are shown in Figs. II and I". From the positive pole of battery X it proceeds by wire 20 (common to this and to the circuit of magnet 0) to the coin-lever, to spring-contact-t, (when the lever I is in its normal position,) to magnet S by wire 25, and thence by wire 26 to spring-contact u in the path of the carriage, where the circuit is normally broken. From the negative pole of the battery wires 18 27 lead to the metallic key-board R, with which all the keys 1 2 are in electric contact. The keys are adapted when pushed in to make contact with a spring 1", 2, or 3, (corresponding to the racing figures 1, 2, and 3, respectively,) and these springs are connected by wires 30 with three stationary contacts 1 2 3, which are in the path of three brushes 1 2 3 on the carriage and at the line of finish. The brush '16, where the other branch of the circuit terminates, is also in the path of the brush m of the earriage,'so that the circuit of magnet S can only be closed when the car-v riage is at a line drawn between the brushes a and c, Fig. II, which line represents the finish.

Referring now to Figs. V and VIII, WV is a light swinging frame of wire pivoted at w and provided with a counter-weight as, which keeps the upper part of the frame always in contact with the upright rods 9, 10, or 11. It is obvious that this frame will touch only that rod which is at the time in advance of the others. This frame carries three contacts 1 2 3, in-

sulated from each other and connected by only one of the branches from the brushes 1? 2 3 is closednamely, that corresponding to the rod 9, 10, or 11 which is at the moment nearest the front of the carriage; and in order that the circuit be completely closed it is obviously necessary that the closed branch of the carriage should correspond with the closed branch on the key-board. To make theexplanation clearer, suppose thekey 2 bepushed in. The circuit from the battery will then be closed through this key as far as contact 2. This key corresponds wit-h the intermediate horse 2 on rod 10. If at the finish-line this rod is in advance of the others, it will be in contact with the swinging frame \V at the contact-piece 2", while the other rods 9 and 11 will be out of contact therewith. The circuit will then be completely closed, as follows: from spring-contact u to brush m on the carriage, thence through the frame of the carriage to rod 10, contact 2", wire 31, brush 2, contact 2, wire 30, contact 2 key 2, keyboard R, and so on. If at this moment one of the other horses be in advancesay No. 1- the circuit will remain open, for the rod9will in that case be in contact with the swinging frame NV, and the circuit will be open at the contact-piece 2.

It should be noticed that the indicating mechanism can never be operated at the end of the first lap, for at this'time the circuit of magnet S is always open by reason of the coinlever I being out of contact with spring 25, as shown in Fig. IV.

Modifications may be made in the forms and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention, and parts thereof may (if desired) be used without the whole.

Having now fully described my said invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a toy race-course, the combination of a carriage adapted to make the circuit of a track, a series of racing figures mounted on and independently movable lengthwise of said carriage, and intermittently-acting devices, such as striking pins, for shifting the positions of said figures relative to said carriage, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the carriage and mechanism for propelling the same around the track, a series of racing figures mounted on said carriage and movable independently lengthwise thereof, a series of wheels, one for each figure, and eccentric-pins on said wheels for shifting the positions of said figures, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the carriage, the racing figures mounted thereon, and driving mechanism, of a coin-actuated lever controlling a stop which arrests said carriage, and a latch for preventing the return of said lever when depressed by a coin, said latch having a projection in the path of the carriage whereby it is tripped and removed out of the way of the coin-lever, permitting the latter to return in time to arrest the carriage at the end scribed.

4. The combination of the racing figures,

the driving mechanism, selecting-keysone for each figure-an indicating device, and eonnections, substantially as described, whereby the indicating device is actuated, as set forth. 5. The combination of the racing figures, an indicating-magnet, the selecting-keys controlling each a branch of the circuit of said magnet, and a series of terminals in multiple arc arranged in the path of brushes carried by the racing figures, Wherebythe leading figure may close the circuit of said magnet, if the branch controlled by the corresponding key be closed, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the racing figures, the indicating-magnet, a circuit therefor, selecting-keys-one for each figure-controlling parallel branches of said circuit, levers crossconnecting the shanks of said keys, so that but one'of said branches at a time can be closed, and other branches having open terminals-in the path of brushes carried by said racing figures, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the racing figures, the coin-controlled lever for starting the same keys-one for each figurethe locking-lever normally holding the keys stationary, a magnet whose circuit is closed by the depression of the coin-lever for unlocking the keys, and means, as indicated, for keeping the coin-lever depressed for a brief time after the racing figures start into motion and for releasing it beon being depressed by a coin,-the selecting.

fore said figures reach the end of their travel,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib- 

